Island



Jan. 27, 1931. A. LANolE MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed Jan. 28, 1930 IIIIIIIPatented' Jan. 27, 1931 PATENT OFFICE LOUIS A. LANOIE, OF PROVIDENCE,RHODE ISLAND MECHANICAL PENCIL Application filed January 28, 1930.Serial No. 424,055.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanical pencils, particularlyimprovements in the lead ejecting rod thereof.

My invention is particularly adapted for use rin mechanical pencilshaving an outer tube, a hollow cap member relatively rotatably mountedon the lower end of said outer tube, tapered to a lower lead advancingend, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube preferably having the lowerend thereof non-rotatably secured within the lower end of said capmember, a helically slotted turning tube rotatablymounted on saidreceiving tube, a slotted bridge member having a portion thereof securedto said outer tube and a portion thereof secured to said helicallyslotted tube preferably within said cap member to cause rotation thereofon rotation of said outer tube, a tubular lead carrier longitudi- ZUnally slidable within said receiving tube having a lower lead receivingend, a radial turning lug near the center portion thereof adapted toride in the helical groove in said receiving tube of a length to pass'underneath the hollow bridge member and an axial slot there-l inextendingl upwards from said lug to near the upper end thereof of alength substantiallythe distance between the winds of the helical slotin said receiving'tube and a lead ejecting rod axially slidable withinsaid tubular lead lcarrier having a lower lead ejecting end and a radialturning lug near the upper end thereof adapted to ride in the helicalslot in said receiving tube and also of a length to pass normallyunderneath the bridge member.

An object of my invention is to provide an axial extension projectingupwardly from the lug of said ejecting rod and preferably beveled awayfrom said lug to an upper pilot edge and adapted to strike the upperedge of the slot in said tubular lead carrier and guide it within.Formerly lead ejecting rods have been provided without this upper axialextension and there has been considerable tendency as the lug thereofmoves to the upper portion of the slot in the ltubular lead carrier towork radially outwardly in said slot, thus 50 causing said lug to strikeagainst the bridge member and prevent complete insertion of the lead inthe lead carrier.

From a manufacturing point of view it has been extremel difficult toform these lugs of such a radial ength as to register in the helicalslot and not to project through the slot beyond the edge of the bridgemember to cause the clogging mentioned. By providin an axial extensionin the lead ejecting roda ove said lug, the axial extension at all timesguides the lead eject/ing` rod within the tubular lead carrier withoutpermitting the lug to project radially outwardly therefrom so. as toabut the bridge member and cause said clogging. By providing thisextension I am enabled to provide a lead ejecting rod which will at alltimes slide substantially axially within the tubular lead carrier andpermit the turning lug thereof to at all times pass underneath thebridge member, thereby eliminating the clogging aforesaid.

In-addition, due to the fact that my improved lead ejecting rod will atall times slide axially within the lead carrier, the play caused by theupper end thereof sliding radially outwardly through the slot in thetubular lead carrier is substantially eliminated, thereby permitting thelower end of the tubular lead carrier to rmly retain the lead thereinwithout any play. In this particular type of mechanical pencils it hasbeen quite common to be able to push the lead in the lead carrier if thewriter attempts to use the pencil, and an object of this invention is tosubstantially eliminate this play.

Formerly manufacturers of pencils, due to the diiliculty of having thelug in a lead carrier pass underneath the bridge member, have attachedthe bridge member to the helically slotted tube and the outer tube at adistance from the lower end of the helically slotted tube suiiicientlyso that the lead may be withdrawn its entire length within the receivingtube without causing the lug on the lead ejecting rod to strikethebridge member, thereby requiring a greater length of receivingI tube androtatable helically slotted turning tube. By providing a constructionwherein the radial lug of the ejectin rod may readily at all times passunderneat the bridge member, I am enabled to attach the bridge member`interconnecting the outer tube and the helically slotted turning tube ata point near the bottom of the turning tubeA and if desired within thecap member itself, thereby from a manufacturing point of view savingconsiderable stock in length of receiving and slotted tubes. Inaddition, by providing the bridge member near the lower end of saidtubes and preferably within the cap member, I am enabled to provide afirmer support for the slotted turning and receiving tubes therebymaking a stronger and more eicient pencil.

These and such other objects of my vinvention as may hereinafter appearwill be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mechanicalpencil constructed in accordance with my invention with the leadejecting rod in advanced position to eject the lead from the pencil. y

l Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 1 with thetubular lead carrier and lead ejecting rod raised to their uppermostposition, showing the lead suitably contained within the lower end ofthe tubular lead carrier and the lead ejecting rod suitably raised topermit this insertion.

Fig. 3 is a disassembled perspective view of the tubular lead carrierand the improved lead ejecting rod I preferably employ.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicatelike parts throughout, 10 generally indicates a mechanical pencil of thetype in which my invention may be employed. 12 indicates the outer tubethereof which may be suitably rotated by the turning cap 14 on the upperend thereof. In my preferred embodiment the lower end of the outer tubeis preferably inset as at 16 for a purpose to be described. Said type ofpencil also employs a hollow turning cap 18 preferably tapered to ahollow lower writing end 20 through which the lead is adapted to advanceand rotatably mounted on the lower end of said tube 12. In theembodiment shown the upper end 22 of -said cap member 18 is rotatablymounted over the inset lower end 16 of the tube 12. Said pencils alsoemploy a receiving tube 24 having a longitudinal slot 26 thereinnon-rotatably secured within the cap member 18. In my preferredembodiment the lower end 28 of said receiving tube 24 is non-rotatablyselcured within the lower'end of said cap member 18 by means of thesolder 30. For a purpose to be described said mechanical pencils mayalso be provided with a stop tube 32.V

Said stop tube is of slightly larger diameter than the lower end of saidreceiving tube and is non-rotatably mounted thereon, in the embodimentshown, by means of the longitudinal rib 34 therein ittin ,within theslot 26 of the receiving tube. Sad sto tube is also preferably providedwith the re atively short axial slot 36 near the upper end thereof for apurpose to be described.

Said mechanical pencils also have a. turning tube 38 rotatably mountedon said receiving tube 24. 'In the embodiment shown said tube 38 has thelower end thereof abutting said stop tube 32 and is secured againstaxial movement on tube 24'by providing the receiving tube 24 of agreater length than said turning tube 38, inserting the stop collar 42on the upper end of said receiving tube to abut the upper end of saidturning tube 38 and holding it against said stop tube 32 by voutwardlyharing the upper end of said receiving tube as at 44 to secure said stopcollar 42 against the upper end of said turning tube 38. Said turningtube 38 is provided with the helical slots 40 therein.

The turning tube 38 is adapted to be rotated on rotation of the outertube 12. For this purpose a hollow bridge member 46 is preferablyprovided.- In my preferred embodiment I provide the downwardly Haringbridge member 46 having the hollow upper end 48 thereof secured to thelower end of the helic-ally slotted turning tube 38, preferably by meansof friction and the lower end 50 thereof secured preferably by frictionwithin the inner wall of said outer tube 12, preferably adjacent saidstop tube 32 and within said cap member 18 whereby rotation of saidouter tube 12 will also cause rotation of said helically slotted turningtube 38. Said pencils are also provided with the tubular lead carriers52 which lead carriers are usually longitudinally slidable within thereceiving tube 24. Said lead carrier 52 is provided with the leadreceiving lower end 54 adapted to vhold the upper end of the lead 56therein and advance the writing point 58 thereof as needed throughthelower end 20 of said cap member. Said tubular lead carrier 52 isprovided near the center portion thereof with the radial turning lug 60adapted to ride in the helical groove 40 in said turning tube andpreferably ofl a length to pass underneath the hollow upper portion 48of said bridge melnber, and an axial slot 62 therein extending upwardsfrom said lug 60 to near the upper end thereof of a length substantiallythe distance between the winds of the helical slot in said turning tube.

Said mec anical pencils are also` provided with the lead ejecting rod 64axially slidable within the tubular lead carrier 52 having the leadejecting lower end 66 and a radial lug 68 projecting radially outwardlynear the upper end thereof adapted to project through the slot 62 ofsaid tubular lead carrier 52 to pass through the longitudinal slot 26 inthe lead receiving tube 24 and to ride in the helical slot 40 in theturning tube 38.

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, the end 66 has normally abutted the upper end of the lead 56,consequent axial play in the writing end 58 of the lead thereby causingconsiderable inconvenience when 'the mechanical pencil is employed inwriting. Also, due to the play of the lug 68 through the respectiveslots 62, 26, and 40, the end of the lug 68 has oftentimes tended toproject out- .wards therethrough so far as to prevent its passingunderneath the upper end 48 of the bridge member 46. For this reason ithas been necessary to .construct the receiving tubes 24 and turningtubes 38 of such a length that the bridge member may be attached betweenthe said outer tube 12 and turning tube 38 stronger mechanicalconstruction but eliminating manufacturing expense in length ofreceiving tube 24 and turning tube 38. In order that the advantages ofmy invention lnay best be understood I will first describe the operationof the pencil.

The outer tube 12 and cap member 18 are vfirst relatively rotated towithdraw theradial lug 68 of the ejecting rod sufficiently within thetubular lead carrier 52 to permit insertion of the upper end 68 of thelead within the lower end 54 thereof. As will be apparent from thedrawings, the lower end of the spiral 38 irst abuts the lug 68 andwithdraws it sufficiently from-the stop tube 32 for a purpose ofinserting the lead therein. On further rotation of the turning tube 38,the lower end of spiral 38 therein will strike the lug on thetubularlead carrier, the lugs 60 and 68 then being separated substantially thelength of a wind 41 of the helical slot 40 and said lug may then asshown in Fig. 2 be drawn to the upper end of the slot 40 and it isobvious that as the outer tube 12 is further relatively rotated to thecap member 18 both the tubular lead carrier 52 andlead ejecting rod 64will be moved axially upwardly in said mechanical pencil through themedium of the lugs 68 and-60 respectively thereof riding in the helicalgroove 40 until only the desired portion of l the lower end 58 of thelead 56 may protrude from the lower end 20 of the cap member as isneeded for writing purposes.

It is thus obvious that on a turning movement of the turning tube 38 torevolve the groove 40 thereof one wind that the lug 68 will ride to theupper portion of the slot 62. In Fig. 2 I have shown the lugs 60 and 68after Athey have respectively Withdrawn the tubular lead carrier 52 andlead ejecting rod 64 to their uppermost position.

When the lead 56 has become so shortened in use that it will notprotrude sufficiently from the lower end of the lead carrier 54 toproject through the hollow lower end of the cap member 18, it becomesdesirable to eject the lead. It is obvious that as the lead becomes worndown it is merely necessary to relatively turn the outer tube 12 toforce the turning tube 38 to move the lead carrier 52 and ejecting rod64 downwards a suiicient amount. As the lead becomes almost worn down,it is obvious that the lug 68 will move to a position near the lower endof the groove 40. To eject the lead, the turning tube 38 is Vfurtherrevolved until the lug 60 lies' within the slot 36 in the stop tube 32.It is then obvious that further turning of the turning tube 38 with thelug 60 resting within the slot 36, will cause the lug 68 to move axiallytowards said lugrv 60 thereby forcing the lower end 66 of the leadejecting rod 64 downwards within the tubular lead carrier 52 until thelower end 66 projects beyond the lower end 54 thereof and if desired,through the lower end 20 of the cap member 18, thereby ejecting the lead56 as shown in Fig. l.

Prior to the insertion of a new lead, itis then obvious that the turningmember 38 is then turned in the opposite direction preferably one fullwind of the slot 40 tocause the lower end 66 to withdraw within thetubular member 52 and up to the upper end of the slot 62 prior to theinsertion of the lead Within the lower end 54 of said tubular leadcarrier 52 and that when it is desired to draw the lead further afterinsertion thereof, the turning tube 38 is further turned to cause thelower end thereof to raise the lug 60 upwards, thereby also raising thelead carrier and its contained lead upwards until a sufcient amount oflead projects from the lower end 20 for writing purposes.

To overcome the objections mentioned above, I preferably construct myimprovedv lead ejecting rod 64 so that it functions in an improvedmanner with the various elements heretofore described. I preferablyprovide the lead ejecting rod with the aligning extension projectingaxially upwardly from said lug 68 and preferably bevel its upper end asat 72 away from said lug 68 into an upper pilot edge 74.

It is then obvious that in use asthe lead ejecting rod 64 is withdrawnin the tubular lead carrier 52A by moving the lug 68 axially away fromthe lug 60 on turning movement of the turning tube 38 thatfsai'd bevelededge 72 will strike the upper edge 76 of the slot 62 and compactlyretain the lead ejecting rod in axial alignment Within the leadadvancing tube 52, so that there will be no radial play of the lug 68outwards in the slots 62, 26 and 40 respectively to abut the portion 48of the bridge member and prevent the lug 68 from readily passing by itand also no axial play in the lower end 66 of the ejecting rod 64 tosubstantially eliminate the axial play of the writing point heretoforementioned in pencils of this description and at all times providing afirm writing point. The pencil is so constructed that the extension 7 0will abut the edge 76 of the lead carrier before it has to passunderneath the portion 48 of the bridge member. Due to this constructionit is also apparent that the bridge member may be moved lower in thepencil, even ifY desired within the cap member 18, thereby providing astronger structure.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanical pencil, an outer tube, a hollow cap member relativelyrotatably mounted 011 the lower end of said outer tube tapered to alower lead advancing end, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube havingthe lower end thereof non-rotatably secured within the lower end of saidcap member, a stop tube of larger diameter non-rotatably secured to thelower end of said receiving tube, having a relatively short axial slotin the upper end thereof, a helically'slotted turning tube rotatablymounted on said receiving tube above said stop tube, a hollow bridgemember having a portionthereof secured to said outer tube within said'cap member and a portion thereof secured to said helically slotted tubeto cause rotation thereof on relative rotation of said outer tube, atubular lead carrier longitudinally slidable within said receiving tubehaving a lead receiving lower end, a radial turning lug near the centerportion thereof adapted to ride in the helical groove in said turningtube of a length to pass underneath the hollow bridge member and anaxial slot therein extending upwards from said lug to near the upper endthereof, of a length substantially the Vdistance between the winds ofthe helical slot in said turning tube and a lead ejeeting rod axiallyslidable within said tubular lead carrier, having a lower lead ejectingend, a radial turning lug near, the upper end thereof adapted to ride inthe helical slot in said receiving tube also of a length to passnormally underneath the bridge member and an aligning extensionprojecting axially upwardly from said lug to retain said rod within saidlead carrying tube and bevelled away from saidlug to an upper pilot edgeend to strike the upper edge of the slot in said tubular lead carrierand guide it within.

2. In a mechanical pencil, an outer tube, a hollow cap member relativelyrotatably mounted on the lower end of said outer tube tapered to a lowerlead advancing end, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube having thelower end thereof non-rotatably secured within the lower end of said capmember, a stop tube of larger diameter non-rotatably secured to thelower end of said receiving tube, having a relatively short axial slotin the upper end thereof, a helically slotted turning tube rotatablymounted on said receiving tube above said stop tube, a hollow bridgemember having a portion thereof secured to said outer tube anda portionthereof secured to said helically slotted tube to cause rotation.

thereon on relative rotation of said outer tube, a tubular lead carrierlongitudinally slidable within said receiving tube having a leadreceiving lower end, a radial turning lug near the center portionthereof adapted to ride in the helical groove in said turning tube of alength to pass underneath the hollow bridge member and an axial slottherein extending upwards from said lug to near the upper end thereof,of a length substantially the distance between the winds of the helicalslot in said turning tube and a lead ejecting rod axially slidablewithin said tubular lead carrier, having a lower lead ejecting end, aradial turning lug near the upper end thereof adapted to ride in `thehelical slot in said receiving tube also of a length to pass normallyunderneath the bridge member and an aligning extension. projectingaxially upwardly from said lug to retain said rod within said leadcarrying tube and bevelled away from said lug to an upper pilot edge endto strike the upper edge of the slot in said tubular lead carrier andguide it within.

3. In a mechanical pencil, an outer tube, a hollow cap member relativelyrotatably mounted on the lower end of said outer tube tapered to a lowerlead advancing end, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube having thelower end thereof non-rotatably secured within the lower end of said capmember, a helically slotted turning tube -rotatably mounted on saidreceiving tube, a hollow bridge member having a portion thereof securedto said outer tube and a portion there- -of secured to said helicallyslotted tubeto cause rotation thereof on relative rotation of said outertube, a tubular lead carrier longitudinally slidable within saidreceiving tube having a lead receiving lower end, a radial turning lugnear the center portion thereof adapted to ride in the helical groove insaid turning tube of a length to pass underneath the hollow bridgemember and an axial slot therein extending upwards from `said lug t0aligning extension projecting axially upnear the upper end thereof, of alength subwardly from said lug bevelled away from said lstantially thedistance between the winds of lug; to an upper pilot ed e end.

the helical slot in said turning tube and a lead ejecting rod axiallyslidable within said tubular lead carrier, having a lower lead ejectingend, a radial turning lug near the upper end thereof adapted to rise inthe helical slot in said receiving tube also of a length to passnormally underneath the bridge member and an aligning extensionprojecting axially upwardly from said lug within said lead carrying tubeabove said slot to retain said rod within said tube so that said lug maypass underneath said bridge member.

t. ln a mechanical pencil, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube, ahelically slotted turning tube rotatably mounted on said receiving tube,a tubular lead carrier longitudinally slidable within said receivingtube having a lead receiving lower end, a radial turning lug near thecenter portion thereof adapted to ride in the helical groove in saidturning tube and an axral Slot therein extending upwards from said lugto near the upper end thereof, of a length substantially the 'distancebetween the winds of the helical slot in said turning tube and a leadejecting rod axially slidableywithin said tubular lead carrier, having alower lead ejecting end, a radial turning lug near the upper end thereofand an aligning extension projecting axially upwardly from said lug toretain said rod within said lead carrying tube and bevelled away fromsaid lug to an upper pilot edge end to strike the upper edge of the slotin said tubular lead carrier and guide it within.

5. ln a mechanical pencil, a longitudinally slotted receiving tube, ahelically slotted turning tube rotatably mounted 011 said receivingtube, a tubular lead carrier llongitudinally slidable within saidreceiving tube having a lead receiving lower end, a radial turning lugnear the center portion thereof l adapted to ride in the helical groovein said turning tube and an axial slot therein extending upwards fromsaid lug to near the upper end thereof, of a length substantially thedistance between the winds of the helical slot in said turning tube anda lead ejecting rod axially slidable within said tubular lead carrier,having a lower lead ejecting end, a turning lug and an aligningextension projecting axially upwardly from said lug within said leadcarrying tube above said slot.

6. A lead ejecting rod for use in mechanical pencils having a radialturning lug near the upper end thereof and an aligning extensionprojecting axially upwardly from.

said lug bevelled away from said lug to an upper pilot edge end.

7. A lead ejecting rod for use in mechanical pencils having a turninglug and an In testimony whereof afx my si ature.

LOUIS A. LA O IE.

